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Who Hates Disruptions?
Task oriented people like me! You know, gotta get the job done…today…now! No matter what. What about you? All of us have experienced them. Most of us do not like them. Over 2 years ago the entire world experienced disruption to life as we had known it. In addition to the pandemic, many others also experienced a disruption in their good health, close relationships, face-to-face community we relied on, satisfying jobs, and income that goes with that. And this is the short list. Some experienced continual losses, one after another, along with, and in the middle of, the pandemic. But, what if, for whatever reason, this was God’s plan for…
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A New Year…And?
I just reflected on where my thoughts and heart were this time last year. Here was my new years post then, What’s Ahead. Now I’m looking into 2022 and wondering again what this year will bring. We cannot predict this new year anymore than we could 2021. We aren’t allowed perfect predictions of the future. We have no idea the wonderful experiences we will have, nor the pains and losses. We can make plans, we can dream and pray, but only the Lord sees every day of 2022 completely. So, what do we do? Simply put, yet so profound, is that we trust the sovereignty of The One who does…
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When It Just Won’t End!
What else? How long? Have you asked that once or twice in the last couple of years, the last couple of weeks, as I have? Jut about the time things seem to be healing or changing, a variant COVID pops up. Then world events just take our breath away. Add to that personal crises, several friends who are in a health fight for their lives, on and on. Seriously? What’s next?…I guess the same thing that I wrote about so recently in He Speaks, before the last couple of “issues” mentioned above popped up. So this is how that morning a couple of days ago played out as I did…
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Blog Share
First I want to share such a timely and helpful post from LifeWay Women: Leading Women in Prayer by Kelly King. Kelly is Manager of Magazines/Devotional Publishing and Women’s Ministry Training for Lifeway Christian Resources and one super lady leading women across the country during this difficult pandemic season. I know this will encourage you. Then, I want to share this second blog because I believe that many leaders have doubted their ability to continue serving during this last 12+ months. I know you will be blessed by reading 5 Leadership Lessons From Gideon from LifeWay Voices by Chuck Peters. No matter where you serve, remember that God is still…
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Discipleship Today
Last week I shared a post (read What Now? here) asking what you are hearing from women you serve and lead. Many are ready to take a deeper dive into knowing and growing in Christ. Are you ready to lead them well? I am currently leading my 4th D-Group at church since retirement in 2017. Discipleship has always been the core of women’s ministry as far as I am concerned. Of course, the first step is salvation, but that is NOT the final step in a woman’s spiritual journey. She needs women who will shepherd her through the next steps. This was not my experience as a new believer when…
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What Now?
If you lead or disciple women in any way, I want to ask you a question. What are you hearing from them regarding this past year of COVID and all the other issues we all have faced? Here’s some positive things I’ve seen or heard: Yes, there have been many negative responses and experiences as well. People have lost jobs, health, political and social unrest, finances, and the joy of being with people in person. Most of us wearied of online church and zoom meetings. But, for sure, God has been at work in so many lives. Recently, Jim Denison quoted Desmond Tutu in one of his Daily Articles: “Hope…
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Are You In-Between?
Right now, we are in-between two winter storms…just waiting to see what comes next. We’ve not had a storm like this in years. And, are we surprised? Kind of just the next issue to face in year 2020-2021! So far, we’ve not lost power as we continue to be covered not with snow, but ice! But will this second wave of snow and ice change that? Kind of like being in limbo and waiting for this next storm. Has this past year made you feel a bit like you are in limbo in lots of ways? You aren’t where you used to be in pre-pandemic days, but not where you…
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Do You Need Courage?
Who knew, when Jennifer Rothschild began writing her Bible study Take Courage, on the Old Testament book of Haggai, how desperately we would need the messages of encouragement for tough times that Haggai preached! No one knew we’d be in the middle of a global pandemic, or that we would have such turmoil in our nation! But God certainly did. Perhaps you have faced difficulty, opposition and discouragement that causes you to question your purpose, especially as you reflect the 12 months we have just lived through. Maybe situations have not turned out like you thought they would, or how you wanted them to. Maybe you are desperately needing encouragement…
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Hold Loosely
Hold what loosely? I’ll get to that! God has taught me SO much over the last year. Retirement 4 years ago gave me more time with the Lord each morning than I’ve ever had before…and I have LOVED it! Retirement also has taught me how to live with my husband of 50 years full time…and it’s not all been pretty since it’s the first time we’ve ever lived together 24/7! You can read about that here in this post, Retired Together…3 Issues and 7 Tips. During pandemic, it’s as though retirement has gone to whole other level. Although we have made so much progress in learning to live together well,…
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Are You Listening Now?
Right now, I feel like this is what God is asking me…in so many ways. “Are you listening to me NOW?” Perhaps it’s the end of a long year we just experienced, a year of changes, cancellations, concerns and SO much more! Maybe it’s the uncertainty of all that is happening in our nation today. We don’t have a clue what will happen tomorrow. I can’t help but wonder if it’s because God is telling us to open our ears, listen and watch Him do His work in our world. Over and over He has shown his sovereignty to me personally and I am hanging on that even as I…
